Oil heater



G. W. COEN.

OIL HEATER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30. 1921.

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0H. HEATER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1921.

Patented NOV. 21, 1922.

' 2.SHEETS -SHEET 2.

atentetl Nov. 21, 11922.

GARNET W. COEN, OF PIEDMONT, CALIFORNIA.

OIL HEATER.

Application filed March 30, 1921.

, To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GARNET W. CoEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Piedmont, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oil Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to liquid heaters, and especially to oil heaters such as are employed in conjunction with oil burners and the like. a

One of the objects of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction of oil heaters, and especially to provide a structure which will permit a maximum heat transfer to be obtained between the heating medium and the oil or liquid to be heated; heat efficiency being obtained in this instance, first, by maintaining the oil in a ribbon or film-like condition during its entire passage through the heater, and secondly by maintaining the oil in a state of agitation and under comparatively high velocity.

Another object of the invention is to construct a heater which may be readily taken apart for inspection, repairs, etc., but particularly for the purpose of cleaning the same, and which will present a series of exposed surfaces readily accessible for cleaning, scraping or otherwise. when the parts are disassembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide heater which is simple, compact and substantial in construction, comparatively cheap to manufacture, and in which all parts are free to expand without danger of imposing unnecessary strains or producing leakage bet-ween the connected parts,

Further objects will hereinafter appear. The invention consists of the parts and theconstruction, combination and arrangementof parts as hereinafter more fully de= scribed and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the heater.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Jrude oils, such as employed today for fuel purposes, and particularly crude oils derived from an asphalt base, are becoming thicker and more viscous as time passes, due to the heavy extraction of gasoline, kerosene, and other products. Crude oils of this character when obtained from the Serial No. 457,008.

refiners are often so thick and viscous that the oil must be heated to a temperature of 200 to 300 F. and sometimes even more before It is rendered sufficiently liquid to be readily handled and efiiciently atomized by the burners. The heating of fuel oil is not only a necessity, due to the reasons specified, but is also more or less of a problem as the heaters rapidly lose their efliciency on account of the deposits of carbon, asphalt, etc, which rapidly accumulate on the heating surfaces, Such deposits form a coating which bakes and hardens and gradu ally clo 's the passages through which the oil is forcec This coating furthermore is a poor conductor of heat and unless removed from time to time will obviously render the heater so inefficient as to be practically useless.

Having these problems and conditions to encounter in actual practice, I have developed a heater which is particularly adapted to handle crude oils such as referred to, and which will efficiently heat and handle the oil if cleaned from time to time. One of the main features of the present invention is therefore the provision of a heater which permits a maximum heat transfer at all times, and which can be readily and quickly taken apart for cleaning whenever necessary. I have accordingly constructed a heater consisting of a series of interspaced cylindrical casings mounted one within the other as indicated at 2, 8, 4t and 5, said casings forming alternate liquid flow and heating passages. The exterior casing indicated at 2 is provided at its upper end with a flange 6 secured in any suitable manner for the reception of a head 7 secured by means of bolts. The lower end is similarly provided with a flange as at 8 to which a bottom plate or head 9 is attached as at 10. Adapted to be interposed between the flange 8 and the lower head member 9 is an annular ring shaped plate 11 to which the casings 3 and 4 are secured; said casings being welded or otherwise attached thereto. Formed on the inner face of the head, interior of the casing 4, is an annular at the upper end of said casing sections and is preferably welded. This ring is drilled and tapped at opposite sides as at 15 for the reception of stud bolts 16 by which a cross bar 17 is supported. This cross bar engages the upper end of the casing section 5 and exerts a sufficient downward pressure thereon to retain it in tight engagement with the lower gasket 13. The casing 5 is otherwise provided withhead members 18 forming closures for the upper and lower ends thereof, and it is further provided with an annular ring 19 which is secured on the exterior side and at the upper end.

This ring forms a spacing member between the casing sections 4: and 5, and it also forms a partial closure for the chamber formed intermediate said casing sections. The ring has an opening formed therein as at 20, see Fig. 2, which forms communlcation between the annular chamber or space 21 formed between the casing sections 4 and 5 and a chamber 22 formed between the head 7 and the upper end of the several casing sections 3, t and 5. This chamber in turn communicates with an annular chamber 23 formed between the casing sections 2 and 3.

One of the features of the present invention is, first, the provision ,of a maximum amount of heating surface for a given volume and weight of oilto be heated without the use of small tubes; secondly, to maintain the oil in film-like condition during its passage through the heater; third, to provide means which will form a ribbon-like tortuous passage for the flow of the oil, and which will furthermore maintain the oil under high velocity throughout its entire passage through the heater and in the state of agitation.

To understand the structure clearly, it will be stated that there are two annular chambers through which the oil passes during its flow through the ;heater; said chambers being indicated at 21 and 23, and that there is one annular and one central heating chamber to which a heating medium, such as steam, is admitted; said chambers being indicated at 24 and 25. The oil is admitted tothe heater at the point indicated at 26. It will first pass through the annular chamber 23 and will discharge into the end chamber 22. From here it passes through the annular chamber 21 and is finally permitted to discharge through a pipe 27 which is connected with the upper end of the annular chamber 21 and which passes through the head members 7 and 18. To establisha ribbon-like flow passage for the oil during its passage through the annular chambers 21 and 23, a spiral shaped spacing member 28 is welded or otherwise secured to the exterior face of the casing section 3. This spiral shaped member may be constructed of flat or round wire, or any othersuitable material, and may be secured to the face of the casing 3 by spot welding or otherwise This spiral shaped member forms a spacer between the casing sections 2 and 3, and it furthermore forms a spiral shaped passage through which the oil flows through the annular chamber 23. In order to establish a similar condition within the annular chamber 21, a series of vertically disposed or longitudinally extending spacing members 29 are provided. These members preferably consist of flat strips of steel or like material which are spot welded or otherwise secured on the exterior face of the inner casing section 5. Certain of the spacing bars or strips 29 employed extend from the upper spacing ring 19 to a point adjacent the bottom of the casing 5, while others extend from the bottom of the easing to a point adjacent the upperhead 18. The bars or strips 29 have a spacing approximately equal to the distance between the spirals of the spacing member 28 and as such form a tortuous path for the flow of the oil during its passage through the annular chamber 21. The direction of flow being indicated by arrows at, b and c.

In, actual operation'it will be obviousthat oil is delivered to the inlet 26 of the heater through a pipe or other suitable means not here shown which is connected with a. pump or similar device. This pumpmaintains a certain pressure. on the oil and this pressure is preferably such that the oil will travel through the heater at a comparatively high velocity. The oil entering will first travel upwardly through the spiral shaped passage formed between the casing sections 2 and 3 and will then discharge .into the upper chamber 22, It will then-enter the upper end of the chamber 21 through the opening 21) formed in the spacing ring 19. This opening communicates with one of the flow passages formed by the spacing bars or strips 29 and the oil will therefore alternately flow ina downwardly and upwardly direction during its passage through the chamber 21; being finally permitted to discharge through the pipe 27. The oil during its entire flow through the respective chambers is maintained in a ribbon or filmlike condition. Its velocity throughout is, practically speaking, maintained constant and the velocity is fairly high and the path tortuous, it is obvious that sufiicient agitation will be obtained to thoroughly mix and uniformly expose the entire oil body to the heating surfaces presented. The oil during its passage throu h the first chamber 215; is exposed to the lieating surface presented by the casing 8, but during its flow through the annular chamber 21, it is. exposed to two heating surfaces, to-wit, the casing sections 4: and 5. This is dueto the llO fact that steam is admitted to the central chamber 25 and also to the annular chamber 24 formed between the casing sections 3 and 4; the steam being admitted to the annular chamber 24 by means of a pipe 30, and to the central chamber 25 by a pipe 31-, said pipes being preferably connected with a common source of supply, as a boiler or the like, not here shown. The condensate produced is drawn off by two individual pipes as indicated at 32 and 33; said pipes being connected with a trap or other means not here shown.

The heater constructed as illustrated in the present instance is very compact and substantial in construction. The several casings employed are preferably cylindrical and as such may be easily fitted and nested one within the other. The several casing sections are free to expand when subjected to heat and as such will not impose any unnecessary strains or produce leakage between the connected parts. For instance the exterior casing 2 may expand entirely free and independent of the casing section 8. The casing sections 3 and 4 can expand in an upward direction as no connection is formed between the same and the exterior casing or the upper head 7 that is both of the last named casing sections are attached to the ring plate 14 and as such are free to expand upwardly without affecting the joint formed between the ring flange 11 and the flange 8 and head 9. The innermost casing 5 has a length equal to the casing sections 3 and 4 and as such will expand in unison with the same as it is subjected to the same temperature. A feature, however, which is of considerable more importance is the fact that when the lower head 9 is removed, the casing sect-ions 3, 4 and 5 may be removed with relation to the exterior casing 2. Similarly that the inner casing 5 may then be separated with relation to the casing sections 3 and 4. The several surfaces exposed to the oil upon which a carbonaceous or hard coating is formed are thus exposed and as such are easily accessible for scraping or cleaning in any suitable manner. The parts are similarly easily assembled and should under such conditions be maintained in a condition of high heat efiiciency as cleaning of the heater should require a comparatively short time period. Gaskets of suitable ma terial. such as indicated at 50, 51 and 52, may be interposed between the connected parts wherever desired. A stuffing box may be employed as at 53 to prevent leakage around the discharge pipe 27. Stuffing boxes may also be employed in connection with the steam inlet and the drain pipes 32 and 33. Other details and changes in construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims. I similarly wish it understood that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate or varying uses may demand.

The steam inlet and outlet pipes 31, 32 and 33 are preferably welded or otherwise secured in the lower inner head and the ring flange 11, and as such it would seem that the stufiing boxes placed in the lower head 9, through which the pipes pass, would be unnecessary. In actual'practice it is, however, found that a certain amount of oil escapes by the gaskets disposed between the head 9 and the adjacent parts, and such oil would naturally leak downwardly by the steam inlet and outlet pipes. The stufiing boxes shown are therefore employed and naturally prevent such leakage.

Another feature which is perhaps of more importance is the provision of the straight spacing bars 29. They are made straight in the inner oil passage to permit the casing sections 4 and 5 to be readily separated. It must be remembered that the outer casing sections 2 and 3 also form an annular passage for the circulation of the oil, but that this passage is only heated from one side. Any asphalt, tar, etc., which has a tendency to clog the passage will in that instance only coat one surface, therefore permitting the outer casing section 2 to be comparatively easily removed. he inner oil passage formed between the casing sections 4 and 5 is however heated both from the inner and exterior side and as such, it is obvious that the residual matter contained in the oil will have a tendency to bake or adhere to both surfaces, therefore increasing the difficulty of separating the casing sections 4 and 5 when cleaning the heater. This difficulty is materially reduced by placing the spacing bars 29 vertically or longitudinally of said casing sections as shown. In this position it is obvious that they will impose the least friction and therefore render the operation of separating the casing fairly easy. If a spiral spacer should be employed as in the exterior oil passage, considerable difliculty might be encountered in separating the same.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. An oil heater comprising a plurality of cylindrical casings nested within each other and interspaced to form alternate oil flow and heating chambers. interspaced with relation to each other, means in one of the flow passages forming a spiral ribbonshaped flow passage for the oil, and spac ing means in another of the flow chambers forming ribbon-like flow passage having a zigzag course.

2. An oil heater comprising a plurality of cylindrical casing members nested within each other and interspaced, said casings forming a central heating chamber, an inner annular liquid flow chamber, an intermediate heating chamber and an exterior liquid flow chamber, spacing members in the first named liquid flow chamber extending approximately from end to end thereof in parallelism and staggered to form a series of connected longitudinally extending flow passages, and a spacing member in the exterior liquid flow passage forming a helical shaped flow passage.

3. An oil heater comprising a plurality of cylindrical casing members nested within each other and interspaced, said casings forming a central heating chamber, an inner, annular liquid flow chamber, an intermediate heating chamber and an exterior liquid flow chamber, spacing members in the first named liquid flow c iamber extending approximately from end to end thereof in parallelism and staggered to form a series of connected longitudinally extending flow passages, a spacing member in the exterior liquid flow passage forming a helical shaped flow passage, an inlet formed in the exterior casing comnnmicating with the helical flow passage, means connecting said helical flow passage with the longitudinal flow passages formed in the first named inner liquid flow chamber, and a discharge pipe connected with one of said last named flow passages.

4:. An oil heater comprising a cylindrical casing having a flange formed at each end, an upper head member secured to one of said flanges, an intermediate flange engageable with the lower flange of the casing, a pair of inter-spaced cylindrical casings sup ported by said intermediate flange, and adapted to be inserted within the exterior casing, said intermediate flange :lorming a closure for the lower end of the insertible casing sections, a closure for the upper ends of said casing sections, an inner casing insertible within the removable casings and spaced therefrom, a lower head member engaging the intermediate flange and forming a support for the innermost casing section, a cross bar carried by the first named insertible casings adapted to engage the upper end of the innermost casing to hold it in engagement with the lower head member, a closing head for each end of the innermost casing, longitudinally extending spacing members secured on the exterior surface of the innermost casing section, and a spiral shape-d spacing member secured on the exterior surface of the largest of the first named insertible casing sections.

5. An oil heater comprising a cylindrical casing having a flange formed at each end, an upper head member secured to one of said flanges, an intermediate flange engageable with the lower flange of the casing, a pair of interspaced cylindrical casings supported by said intermediate flange and adapted to be inserted within the exterior casing, said intermediate flange forming a closure for the lower end of the insertible casing sections, a closure for the upper ends of said casing sections, an inner casing in sertible within the removable casings and spaced therefrom, a lower head member engaging the intermediate flange and forming a support for the innermost casing section, a cross bar carried by the first named insertible casings adapted to engage the upper end of the innermost casing to hold it in engagement with the lower head member, a closing head for each end of the innermostcasing, longitudinally extending spacing members secured on the exterior surface of the innermost casing section, a spiral shaped spacing member secured on the exterior surface of the largest of the first named insertible casing sections, a chamber formed between the upper head and the upper ends'ot' the insertible casing sections, said chamber being in communication with the outermost annular chamber formed between the casing sections, a closure for the upper end of the chamber formed between the innermost casing section and the adjacent casing, and an opening in said closure conm'uinicating with the chamber formed below the upper head member.

6. An oil heater comprising a cylindrical casing having a flange formed at each end, an upper head member secured to one of said flanges, an intermediate flange engageable with the lower flange of the casing, a pair of inter-spaced cylindrical casings supported by said intermediate flange and adapted to be inserted within the exterior casing, said intermediate flange forming a closure for the lower end of the insertible casing sections, a closure for the upper ends of said casing sections, an inner casing insertible within the removable casings and spaced therefrom, a lower head member engaging the intermediate flange and forming a support for the innermost casing section, a cross bar carried by the first named insertible casings adapted to engage the upper end of the innermost casing to hold it in engagement with the lower head member, and a closing head for each end of the innermost casing.

GARNET W. GOEN. 

